


a moment of quiet in a loud, shouting world

by MegaWallflower



Series: rival villages au [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Flirting, Enemies to Lovers, Established Relationship, Healing, Hot Springs & Onsen, Iwagakure | Hidden Stone Village, M/M, Talking, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:28:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23720830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaWallflower/pseuds/MegaWallflower
Summary: Inevitably, Kakashi and Guy cross paths on a mission. Afterwards, Kakashi helps Guy recover.(Canon-divergence AU. In which Guy is from Iwagakure.)
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Series: rival villages au [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2001112
Comments: 8
Kudos: 118





	a moment of quiet in a loud, shouting world

**Author's Note:**

> This is set a pretty long time after Ceasefire (https://archiveofourown.org/works/23338696). You don't have to have read that to get this, but it sets up the AU.

Guy rose to awareness slowly as heat radiated along his body.

Warm water lapped against his chest. Cool stone pressed against his back. His vision slowly came into focus, eyes staring up at a sky streaked orange and violet; golden afternoon light broke through the clouds. A stream of hot water flowed from a nearby hole on the mountainside and pooled in a spring lined with smooth stones. Steam fogged the area, with the dying light of day tinting everything pink. The stones nearest to him were stained with dried streaks and flecks of dark blood-red.

He couldn’t remember what he’d been doing last.

A steady hand took him by the wrist, lifting his arm and gently rubbing a damp cloth over the cuts and bruises along its underside. Guy looked away from the painted clouds, eyes trailing down to focus instead on the bare, well-muscled chest of the man leaning over him.

Guy was terrible with faces, but this was a man who needed no introduction, least of all for Guy. If he didn’t know him by his face, he knew him by his touch, by the landscape of his body, by the way he carried himself, by that tattoo on his shoulder. Guy would recognize him anywhere.

"Kakashi... What…" Guy groped for words.

Kakashi let Guy fumble his words and find his bearings, continuing with his silent ministrations all the while. He ran the fingertips of his hand over Guy’s broken skin; a pale green light emanated. Guy tried not to squirm as his forearm tingled and the cut places begin to knit themselves back together. It was a prickly, burning sensation, like something crawling beneath his skin. Then it was over as quickly as it began, and Guy felt nothing, just smooth skin and warm water.

A brief silence settled over them. The flow of water was the only sound that flooded the secluded spring. Guy looked up at Kakashi’s face, as if waiting for something, but the Leaf ninja just continued tending to Guy’s wounds wordlessly. His gaze darted in a pattern of right, left, briefly at Guy, and then away again.

“I’m not good at this,” Kakashi offered apologetically.

Guy flexed the arm that Kakashi had tended to. It wasn’t fully healed, but it was good enough to work with. “Not good at what? Medical ninjutsu?” Guy’s mind was still swimming, trying to piece together the events that had led to him apparently needing to be healed.

“No. Helping people.” He took Guy’s other arm, wiped it clean of dirt and blood, then healed it, too. Guy watched him do it, amazed by the process. Kakashi dropped his hands into the water, curling his fingers around Guy’s injured knees. They prickled like his arms had, then grew warm beneath the green light at Kakashi’s touch. “Is that better?” As he waited for an answer, Kakashi reached for Guy’s fallen hands and slid his fingers between Guy’s, clasping both of their hands together.

It was then that Guy’s brain registered the heat of the spring water. The balminess of the spring and the sooth of Kakashi’s chakra enveloped him to ease his sores and clear his mind, and now that his mind was clear, his body realized how much pain it was in. It helped to let himself sink to the bottom of the spring, water level all the way up to the top of his shoulders. The warmth penetrated through his skin, flesh, all the way down to his muscles, tendons, his very bones. It took the chill of his duties right out, almost seemed to burn him until his body grew used to it, and even then, the burn was oddly comforting, welcome.

He relaxed his muscles and let himself float. Calves, thighs, hips, abdomen, fingers, and hands, they all ran under the clear, steamy water and felt their tension melt away, surrounded by pure water, made buoyant and light.

Bits and pieces of memory were coming back to him, now that Guy was fully lucid. He’d been on a mission. A decoy for an official from the Land of Earth. There were suspicions that he was being targeted by one of the other nations. Guy being in this state was probably enough to confirm that. He recalled feeling calm, and then, there was a flash of light behind him. The ensuing fight was a blur, but being caught by surprise while he had already let his guard down in such a cumbersome disguise… Guy could infer what he couldn’t recall.

Kakashi read the emotions on Guy’s face as Guy’s train of thought steadied. “Does it still hurt? I know I hit your head… Your body was all scratched up, you lost a lot of blood… A few attacks got you in the back too. I don’t think I injured your spine, you managed to dodge… You might still be bleary from the genjutsu, though… Your heart did stop for a second…” Kakashi’s healing hand traced a path up his thigh in search of more injuries. Guy’s legs reflexively trembled under his touch, and Kakashi leaned forward, whispered in a tone that was detached and stern and meant for simple interrogation, “Are you shaking because you’re scared of me, is this an involuntary muscle tremor because of the injuries, or are you just turned on?”

“I—” That was enough to pull Guy out of his thoughts and dye his face bright pink. He wanted to focus on the accusation that Guy would ever be afraid of Kakashi. He wanted to get indignant and stubbornly remind Kakashi that Guy would never, ever, even for a second, fear his closest friend. But the tacked-on accusation that Guy was turned on made his cheeks and ears burn so hot that all the coherent words in his head were fried and escaped with the steam.

His grogginess vanished, and he was suddenly too aware of the position he was in. A weird feeling formed in the pit of his stomach.

Guy flailed and scooted away with the little space he had. Kakashi, bending over him, with the lights reflecting off the spring water around them, the greens and golds and pinks —he was practically glowing. His face was agleam with the water’s ripples. The darkness of his eye was so intense that Guy couldn’t bear to look away, and he couldn’t think straight long enough to give him an answer. “Wah— What? That’s a loaded question, don’t you think?!” Guy slapped his palms down on the wet stones lining the pool, huffing.

Kakashi’s grip on his legs loosened, but his hands remained on Guy’s trembling inner thighs, subtly measuring his pulse. “You’re fine, then. You’re the same as ever. You bounce back fast,” he sighed. The sincere relief that pervaded his tone was enough to make Guy calm down. “We have got to stop meeting like this, Guy.”

Kakashi and Guy had been on opposite sides of conflicts before. Quite a few of their greetings started with one of them pinning the other down, on the field or incognito or in a bedroom they’d snuck into, with a sly smile and a whispered, _“We have got to stop meeting like this”_ when they meant just the opposite. Guy was practically trained to expect a kiss to follow the line at this point.

That was how Kakashi was. This was how Kakashi was, too. He was almost comically protective and hypocritical when topics of missions and self-sacrifice came around, but became playful and teasing when they whispered and giggled to one another like this, dark eye melting with what Guy could only place as genuine adoration. Kakashi loved Guy, almost as much as Kakashi loved needling Guy. That sentiment did more to make Guy forget the pain he was in than the medical ninjutsu did.

It brought a smile to Guy’s face. When they were alone together, the world felt less tempestuous. Less complicated. This feeling was something more vital to Guy than any mission, something he treasured, something reassuring even if the meetings themselves couldn’t be under better circumstances.

This time, something made Kakashi shy away, probably weighed down by guilt. Guy bent his legs and kicked them up experimentally, splashing water around them. They were fine. He would be able to make it back to his village on them. “Was it bad?” he asked vaguely.

Kakashi touched Guy’s cheek, cupped the warm, soft skin. His thumb traced over the slope of Guy’s cheekbone, healing a laceration there. “Of course, it was. You’re good at getting yourself hurt.” More quietly, Kakashi admitted, with a bitter, self-loathing laugh, “And I’m good at hurting the people I love. We’re a bad combination for your health…”

Guy pushed himself up on his elbows and winced at the ache that still weighed down his limbs. He didn’t need to worry about that right now though; the expression on his rival’s face was what needed fixing. “—Ha!” Guy puffed out his chest, projecting an air of confidence with all the strength he could muster. He answered Kakashi’s bitter laughter with his own, loud and boisterous and mountain-shaking. “Bad for my health?! Really?! You know for a fact I don’t go down so easily! How many times have I managed to survive, even when Kakashi of the Sharingan has come at me, fangs bared, kunai drawn? Every single time, I’ve made it out just fine, stronger than I was before! I’ve said it time and time again! You couldn’t kill me, even if you tried, Kakashi!”

At first, Kakashi didn’t react. He was so still, Guy wondered if he somehow hadn’t heard him. “…Yeah. Yeah, you’re immortal, aren’t you, Guy…?” Kakashi finally answered, sounding more like he was convincing himself than praising Guy.

“I sure am! Don’t underestimate the Blue Beast of the Stone!”

Kakashi stared at him for a while longer, and then tilted his head up with a snort. “If anyone would be impossible even for me to off, if would be you, wouldn’t it? You’re ridiculous, Guy. What am I going to do with you?”

Guy turned his head slightly to nuzzle against Kakashi’s hand. “…You said you’re not good at helping. But you’re so gentle. I feel like I’m floating on air. As always, you’re amazing, Kakashi.” He brushed a kiss to Kakashi’s palm.

Kakashi gave him another bitter laugh and pulled away. “That’s quite a thing to say to someone who ambushed you.” Kakashi moved away further out into the water, taking advantage of all the space they had in this little private wild spring.

If it was an attempt to close himself off and keep himself at an emotional arm’s length from Guy, Guy wouldn’t allow it. “I think it’s the perfect thing to say to my rival! And he needs to hear it, too!” He held his thumb up and grinned a big, sparkling grin to show Kakashi just how unflappable his spirit was. “My rival’s amazing, like he always is, so I wanted to say so! That’s fine, isn’t it?”

Kakashi closed his eye and leaned back against the stones at the edge of the spring opposite Guy, stretching and sinking comfortably like a cat. “I guess I can’t complain with that much praise…” he quipped. His hair flowed out around him in the water, along with the towel he’d wrapped around his face. In Guy’s eyes, he still practically glowed from the light of the sunset reflected on the water. Kakashi peeked his regular eye back open and stared at Guy inquisitively.

Guy offered him an understanding smile, and hoped he glowed just the same in Kakashi’s eyes. “I can’t imagine it was a pleasant surprise when my disguise came off and you realized it was me. I’m sorry I couldn’t reveal myself sooner. I didn’t expect to be up against _you_.”

Kakashi closed his eye again and shook his head. “No, it shouldn’t have changed anything. It’s not like you knew it was me either. It doesn’t matter if we’re ‘rivals’, this was always going to happen. We’re shinobi, and our villages aren’t allied. The mission comes first.”

“Come on, Rival, don’t be like that!” Guy splashed a bit of water at Kakashi to make him open his eye and look at Guy again. Kakashi grumbled and complained, but turned his gaze back toward Guy. “I’ve accomplished so many missions! I haven’t been taken down like that in years! In fact, the only reason I went down is probably because my body and soul are so used to you. When you’re at my back, I don’t feel the need to be on guard. I trust you. My bond with you is what comes first to me. So, you shouldn’t underestimate me and assume I’ll die on any old mission without making my way back to you!” Guy hooked a thumb in his direction. “You know I’m good on that promise. I love you too much to even imagine otherwise!”

“Maa…” Kakashi sunk deeper in the water, ducking his head underwater entirely until he could make the red tint in his ears go down. Then, Kakashi rose back up out of the water and let the water ripple around him. “I’m not underestimating you. Like I said, you’re immortal. I know you’re strong. You’re just not stronger than I am,” Guy could see a smirk in the crinkles around his eyes, not quite playful, but certainly daring, questioning. Expectant, gauging Guy’s response. “We’ll just have to hope you’re not up against me again.”

“—How dare you!” Taking the dare, Guy feigned overdramatic outrage. He hopped up to his feet on the bank of the spring to look more imposing. “I’m just as strong as you! Last time I checked, our current record was 38-37, in my favor! I’m willing to take you on anytime, anywhere, in a proper spar! I’ll compete against you in anything!”

Kakashi’s eye trailed down Guy’s body admiringly. “Anything, huh?”

Guy followed Kakashi’s line of sight, and when he finally picked up on the innuendo, Guy blushed and plopped back down into spring, sending a splash out, and finally, _finally_ , Kakashi let out a genuine, lighthearted, full-body laugh, tilting his head so far that his makeshift mask nearly fell off. Guy’s chest filled with the stirrings of lovestruck ardor, and a sense of ease washed over both of them, even as Guy pretended to be most flustered than he was. “—C-come on! How long are you going to laugh! What’s so funny! Nevermind, don’t answer that— This is a nice hot spring, isn’t it?” Guy squeaked, head down and cheeks burning. Small curls of steam occasionally hid what was distorted by ripples on the surface, but for the most part, the water was crystal clear. Guy rearranged himself, crossing his legs in a meager attempt at modesty, and submerged himself to his neck in the hot water of the spring. “Such a lovely hot spring!”

“Yes, it has a very lovely view,” Kakashi nodded, still laughing. If Guy’s cheeks could burn hotter, he felt he would combust, but at least Kakashi seemed satisfied with that reaction. “Amazing you’ve never been here before.”

“I didn’t even know it existed!”

The water shifted around Kakashi slightly as he moved away from Guy again. “There are so many things in this world you probably don’t know,” he said, sounding joyful and sad somehow simultaneously.

“Well, maybe one day you can show them all to me,” Guy tried to sound excited enough at the prospect for the both of them.

“Maybe…” Kakashi sighed. “This area’s famous for springs like these. The locals say the hot water will heal your injuries, give you some much-needed strength, and I hear the steam does wonders for your skin. I’m not good at healing, but this made it easier on the both of us, at least. –Sorry about your clothes.”

Guy wasn’t going to inquire about the state of his clothes. That, too, he could infer. He felt a belated relief that the clothes in tatters were the cumbersome disguise instead of one of Guy’s beloved jumpsuits. Onoki would not be happy to hear about that part, but Onoki was almost never very happy to begin with.

Guy chose to accentuate the positive. “So, you brought me all the way here just for that? How thoughtful! I feel better than I’ve ever felt before!” In retaliation for the earlier teasing, Guy tried to fight fire with fire, asking in his most flirtatious voice, “So, is this a challenge? Or maybe a date? You did bring both of us here, after all, the genius ninja must have some sort of ulterior motive…” He wiggled his eyebrows, which was apparently not erotic enough, because Kakashi doubled over in even louder laughter.

“No,” Kakashi finally answered, once he’d collected himself and cleared his throat. “This is me taking time and reconsidering my options now that my mission failed. I’m just recouping my losses. Officially, neither of us are here. Besides, it wasn’t that far out of the way.”

Guy leaned in closer. “Well, officially not being here together is very fun,” Guy answered, falling back on a simple sincerity.

“…Alright. Since neither of us is here, I guess I might as well admit something.” Kakashi stared down at the water. “It’s hard for me to relax. When I have a specific goal, my mind is clear; I can follow instructions and quickly react to things, easily. That’s all I’m supposed to do. But when I’m sitting around doing nothing, my mind wanders. I’m always on my toes, waiting for an attack or something to go wrong. …It’s only different when I’m alone with you. It’d be nice if I didn’t have to worry about losing that.”

Guy took a moment to digest that before speaking again. “Come here,” he opened his arms, teary-eyed.

He was met with a narrowed glare from Kakashi. “Why? Planning to get revenge for that surprise attack?”

“No! No. I would never! Just—” Guy insisted, keeping his arms out expectantly. “Trust me.”

“Trust the man from Iwa who made me fail my mission?”

“Yes. Trust me. Just like I’ll always trust you.”

Kakashi rolled his eye, but he edged closer to Guy. He froze when Guy wrapped his arms around him pressed Kakashi’s head down to Guy’s chest.

“Guy...” Kakashi didn’t move away.

“You’re so hard on yourself...” Guy whispered. “Through everything, I still think you’re amazing, Rival. I always will.”

Kakashi slowly returned the embrace and drew closer to Guy.

“You’ve been doing a great job helping me. And you’ve been my biggest inspiration. I don’t know who I’d be if I had never met you,” Guy admitted. “I’m right here in your arms, safe and sound. I’m strong, and you’re strong, and between the two of us, you’ll never lose me, Rival. I’m alive because of your kindness. You’ve saved my neck a million times already. Even the countries of fire and earth couldn’t make you lose me.”

“Yeah, I am always saving your ass, aren’t I?” Kakashi teased, sounding like his cocky pride had returned already. His hold on Guy tightened as he began to affectionately nestle against Guy’s chest, his breath warm against Guy’s skin. “You need me.”

Kakashi looked up at the indignant pout that he had fully expected Guy to make at that remark. “That’s going a bit too far! I’m no damsel in distress!”

“You looked like one when I carried you all the way here,” Kakashi said, another taunting quip and another indirect request for Guy to be more careful not to end up in situations like that.

Knowing that, Guy couldn’t find it in himself to draw out that particular argument. “Well, you’re right about one thing. I do need you. And we deserve a break. So, let’s enjoy this bath together. Since neither of us are here, after all.” Guy set his chin on the top of Kakashi’s head and played with his hair. “I’m alive. You saved me. When would be a better time than now to spend time with my favorite person in the world?”

Kakashi laughed again. “You have an interesting way of spinning this whole situation.”

The moment of peace was welcome on its own, but to have even a few minutes together where Kakashi and Guy could completely forget about villages and politics was a treasure in both of their minds.

If felt like the world had stopped. It had been so long had it been since they could relax like this. He didn’t have to worry about a sudden attack or call to action. Guy was right beside Kakashi, free from any danger. Kakashi’s mind was focused solely on Guy’s heartbeat. He still had a heartbeat, something to protect, something Kakashi couldn’t do for Obito, for Rin, for Kushina, for Minato.

What they wouldn’t give to have this moment last forever.

Kakashi begrudgingly broke free of the embrace. “I feel... a lot better now. Must be the hot spring.”

“Yes, that must be it.” Guy wore his widest grin and let Kakashi have his space. “I’m so happy we can enjoy this brief moment of respite together in such a great hot spring!” Guy’s positivity was so contagious, Kakashi couldn’t help smiling too. “You know what they say. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”

“How close?” Kakashi whispered, shifting his tone in a way that sent a shiver throughout Guy. He settled between Guy’s legs, placing a hand on each. Before, Kakashi’s touch had been dispassionate and clinical. No longer hindered by apprehension, Kakashi’s hands were much more deliberate now. His hands stroked Guy gently under the water, using the movement to coax Guy to drift ever so slightly up his lap.

Guy remembered himself after a second, shook his head and tried to back up to give himself some space. Kakashi only followed him, of course, connected by his hold on Guy so he waltzed through the water after him with a chuckle.

With a puff of air, Guy found that he’d reached the edge of the spring, back bumping into the smooth contour of rock. The stony bottom of the pond curved up towards the ends, water only to their midriffs _._ Kakashi’s hands dropped to take Guy’s thighs and lifted until he straddled him.

They slid against each other, bodies slick from the water, and Guy was pulled into a kiss, the belated but welcome follow-up to their earlier “We have got to stop meeting like this”. Kakashi tilted his head to free up his lips from behind the towel mask. Guy responded as enthusiastically as always. His lips immediately gave way to Kakashi’s passionate onslaught, welcoming the invasion of Kakashi’s tongue.

When Guy ground instinctively against him, Kakashi cut the kiss short, biting his lip as he looked down to watch his body move and arch. “…I’m glad you’re okay. I don’t know how I would have handled it if I killed you, too.”

Guy blinked, struggling to concentrate on the conversation and not his mounting arousal. “You would never—”

“—I have a nickname back in my village,” Kakashi interrupted.

“…The copycat ninja, right?” Guy had heard about the nickname long before this. His rival had made a name for himself throughout the ninja world. “Kakashi of the Sharingan.”

Kakashi shook his head. “No, not that. Another one, one I probably deserve better. ‘Friend-killer Kakashi.’ …You can probably vaguely guess the story behind that one.”

Another moment of silence settled over their makeshift oasis, and Kakashi slid out from under Guy and backed away, back to building up his walls. Guy couldn’t even begin to guess how Kakashi had ‘earned’ a moniker like that. He’d known Kakashi for years, even if they weren’t in the same village. Kakashi didn’t seem the type to abandon or betray his friends for the sake of wanton cruelty. Even now, when Kakashi had had yet another chance to kill Guy, Kakashi made the conscious decision not to as soon as he realized that this was Guy, his friend, his rival. Maybe things were different with his allies, but Guy doubted it. Kakashi was fundamentally good and bright and caring to his core. Guy believed that to his own core. “…I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” he blurted out.

“Hm?” Kakashi tilted his head, listening attentively.

“—I’m going to be a teacher soon,” he explained, “I already know my students. I handpicked them! They’re still attending the academy for now! Once they graduate, the types of missions I’ll be going on will be quite different for a while! Safer, for the most part!”

“D-rank missions with a bunch of little kids, huh?” Kakashi hummed pensively. He seemed to deliberate over something for a bit, but he finally settled on, “…Be sure to take care of them. Don’t die of boredom while you’re at it.”

Guy grinned and gave Kakashi his best Nice Guy pose. “I will do my best! And I think you should be a teacher, too!”

The first brief flicker of emotion on Kakashi’s face was shock, followed by a glimpse of something smoldering and wounded. The latter vanished as quickly as it had appeared, flickered like a candle and left in its place an even purer shock and horror. “ _Really_? You think anyone has any good reason to trust me with their kids’ lives? You can’t be serious, Guy.”

“I am serious! Absolutely serious! I believe in what I’m saying from the bottom of my heart! I don’t think Black Ops missions suit you well. We’re strong, and we’re good at what we do, but in my opinion, you’d be better suited to protecting people you love in the light than fighting for unknown causes in the dark.” That way, Guy hoped he wouldn’t have to see a look in Kakashi’s eyes that made him seem half-dead and on his way to a grave ever again. Considering that a poor argument, he said instead, “That way, I can introduce my students to you someday! They’ll love you! I know it! One of them reminds me so much of you!”

Kakashi pulled a face that didn’t quite scream enthusiasm. “You can’t possibly think that’s a good idea.”

“I do think that! I wouldn’t lie to you, Kakashi!”

Kakashi paused a moment. “…I’ve been meaning to tell you something, too.”

“I’m all ears!”

“A kid went missing from our village a while back. A boy from the Hyuga clan.”

Kakashi’s tone was more inquisitive than it was accusatory. It wasn’t an actual interrogation. It was simply Kakashi daring Guy to prove himself wrong and lie to Kakashi’s face, just to make it clear that both of them knew Guy could and would do it.

And Kakashi was right –there were times Guy did have to lie or at least hide things from Kakashi, just as he was sure Kakashi did with him. He tried to avoid that for most things, and there was an unspoken agreement between the two of them not to drill the other for classified political secrets. But this was something else Guy couldn’t be open with Kakashi about. He’d promised Neji protection and a home, and he wouldn’t jeopardize that, not even for this.

One day, though, he mentally promised to come clean with that about Kakashi, too. One day, between them, there’d be no lies and no secrets.

But for now, Guy had no choice but to play dumb, even if it felt like letting Kakashi win and letting Kakashi down. “Huh? Is that so? My condolences.”

“Think he’s still alive? I heard it might have been a kidnapping.”

“I think optimism is a good way to live one’s life!” Guy sidestepped the questions entirely again.

“…Well,” Guy couldn’t tell if Kakashi was self-satisfied or disappointed. “Not that it has anything to do with you. You’ll be a good teacher. So do your future kids a favor, and don’t get yourself killed. Especially by me.” Kakashi had no real intention of pushing the issue or getting to the bottom of it. His only goal had been to force Guy to lie to his face, and apparently, that was close enough. “I know you’re a good person, Guy. I trust you. I’m just not the same as you are.”

It took more than that for Guy to give up. “Your heart’s as true as mine is, Kakashi. You are a good person, and you’ll be a good teacher, too!”

“Guy…” Kakashi sighed again. “I’m not—”

“Just not as good as me!” Guy winked.

That succeeded in making Kakashi do a double take. “What?” He asked, an eyebrow perking upwards as he just surveyed the smirk on Guy’s face.

Guy gave an arrogant shrug and clicked his tongue. “It’s alright! I feel for you, Rival! It’s hard, almost impossible, to measure up when you have a rival as incredible and powerful as yours is! There’s no shame at all in second-best! It’s not like you to just give up like this, but when the difference in our abilities is so vast, I guess all I can do is offer you my sympathy!”

“ _What_?” Kakashi said again. That old competitive spirit of his glittered in Kakashi’s visible eye. “You still think you’re better than me? At anything?”

Guy pulled his cockiest smirk. All it did was make Kakashi laugh yet again. “I know I’m better than you, at plenty of things! And if you disagree, my rival, then I guess it’s a challenge!”

“A challenge, huh…?” Kakashi smiled again, and it almost seemed like the idea suddenly seemed fun to him. “…Let me think about it, okay?”

The discussion ended then and there, when out of sight of anyone else, he pinned Guy against the smooth, water-washed stone and kissed Guy soundly to finish what they’d started and make the most out of the time they got together.


End file.
